Typhoon Dolphin’s remnants bring torrential rain to Beijing
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Beijing has put in place an orange rainstorm warning, its second-highest level.
PHOTO: EPA
BEIJING – Typhoon Dolphin’s remnants channelled vast amounts of moisture into Beijing and the central province of Henan on Aug 12, as the capital braced itself to receive more than one-third of its average annual rainfall in 24 hours.
Dolphin, the strongest typhoon to hit China in 2026, has weakened after travelling more than 6,000km, but its remnants are drawing tropical moisture deep inland, raising the risk of flooding.
Rainfall records were shattered in parts of the central provinces of Henan and Hubei on Aug 10 and 11, state media reported.
The city of Wugang, home to one of China’s largest steel companies, received 209.5mm of rain, while Xiangyang received 169.1mm. Both totals broke single-day August precipitation records.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, is increasingly exposed to destructive weather events that scientists link to climate change.
2026 is proving particularly tough due to the emergence of the El Nino weather pattern that is driving up temperatures and fuelling more frequent and intense typhoons.
Beijing has put in place an orange rainstorm warning, its second-highest level, and suspended six bus routes as the deluge disrupted the morning rush hour.
Chinese meteorologists are reaching for a new generation of artificial intelligence weather models to bolster traditional forecasting systems to improve the country’s resilience to extreme weather.
Each year, extreme rainfall causes billions of dollars in economic losses as manufacturing is disrupted and crops are washed away. REUTERS
